When Can I See You Again?
by VintageValentino
Summary: A different beginning for Stephanie and Ranger. Had this one wanting to escape but will finish both as evenly as possible.
1. Chapter 1

**I own nothing.**

**Ranger walked the street in front of the bail bonds office and watched the dark haired woman inside. She was Stephanie Plum, newest bounty hunter on the crew, and her eyes would get wide and afraid whenever she looked at him. He knew what he looked like. He looked down at his black t-shirt, sleeves torn off, frayed jeans and long hair pulled back. He looked dangerous and that's exactly how he wanted to look.**

**She headed for the door and he pulled it open as she got there. She hadn't noticed him. Her blue eyes were wide as she looked up at him and she let out a high pitched squeak before running over to her car. He smiled.**

"**Got anything for me today, Connie?" he asked the woman with the big hair behind the desk.**

"**Not at the moment. Same as last time you coincidentally," her fingers formed air quotes, "came in last time Stephanie was here."**

"**Hmmm…." He said watching Stephanie getting into her hair and then getting her curly brown hair caught in the seatbelt.**

"**Of course, there's an elephant on Stark Street just terrorizing the hell out of everyone. Big Bounty too." Connie said. Lula came out of the back room where she'd been filing.**

"**What elephant? I bet I know her. I bet it's that Laquesha. That's one big girl and MEAN!" Lula emphasized the last word with a whistle. Stephanie pulled off and Ranger turned back to Connie.**

"**I would suggest animal control," he said with a smile. "I was an Army Ranger not a Park Ranger." Connie laughed.**

"**I should have known better than to try to trick you. Why don't you just ask her out?" Connie asked.**

"**She's not my type," Ranger said, looking down at the outstanding skip list. None worth his time.**

"**Are you trying to convince me or yourself?" Connie asked. Ranger shrugged.**

"**Leave him alone. He likes full figured women, don't you, Sugar?" Lula said. Ranger smiled. He liked Lula and he liked Stephanie a lot for what she'd done for her. **

"**I have things to do, Ladies. Connie, give me a call if something worth getting out of bed for comes in." Ranger said.**

"**Depends on who you're in bed with," Connie quipped. Ranger smiled broadly. He knew what that smile could do and he used it liberally. As he turned back to the parking lot he wondered when he would see Stephanie again and, more puzzlingly, why he cared.**


	2. Chapter 2

Ranger pulled into Pinos parking lot. Not his normal hangout but he had it on good authority that a man with whom he needed to have a conversation was bellied up to the bar at this local pizza joint. He parked next to big, blue, beast of a car and his heart skipped a beat. Ranger took a moment to lecture his hormones about their advanced state of maturity.

Ranger walked into the restaurant and when his eyes adjusted to the lower light, he realized he was staring right into Stephanie Plum's blue eyes. They were wide again and Ranger felt a bolt of electricity and awareness surge through him and wondered if she felt it too. She looked quickly away, back to the man with whom she was sitting. Joe Morelli. Tank, Ranger's employee and oldest friend, had told him just that morning about a case Morelli had been assigned and encouraged him to get in touch with the homicide detective. Who was he to ignore the advice of his oldest friend? Ranger took the opportunity to amble over to the table and feel 'the air' between Stephanie and Joe, as his mother would have said. Stephanie glanced at him a few times in surprise and he made his way closer.

"Stephanie," he said, nodding at her when he reached the table. He turned to Joe, "Morelli."

"Manoso," Morelli acknowledged. Stephanie said nothing and Ranger allowed himself an inward smile. She was attracted to him and that scared her, so it should. The air between Joe and Stephanie felt decidedly tense and that encouraged Ranger as well.

"I heard you caught the Coselli case. I know Bruno Coselli. If you need some help, give me a call." Ranger pulled a card from his back pocket and handed it to Morelli. Joe seemed surprised.

"Yeah, sure," he said, putting the card on the table next him. "That's some bad business. You think he killed those people?" Ranger took a silent moment before answering.

"Not his style. He's a dangerous guy but if he's killing 14 people, he's gonna do it in a way where he's nowhere around to take the blame." Ranger said. Morelli shrugged one shoulder in agreement.

"I'll keep in touch," Morelli said in a way that made Ranger almost believe him.

"Stephanie," Ranger said, inclining his head at her. She blushed. His eyes lingered a moment too long and when he turned back to Morelli he could see that the other man had realized his real reason for stopping by the table. He shook hands with the cop and then headed over to the bar.

Ranger found the man he was looking for and put a hand on his shoulder. Lester Santos, a former member of the Special Ops unit that Ranger had led, turned to throw Ranger off balance but was too drunk and only fell off of the stool. Ranger leaned to help him up.

"Leave me alone! Why are you here?" Lester slurred drunkenly. He wobbled a bit falling into the bar as he got up.

"I'm here because you're drinking yourself stupid and it's time stop," Ranger said pointedly.

"What're you? The cops? Go away." Lester slurred. He reached for his bottle of beer and knocked it over. "Barkeep!" he shouted. Ranger held up a hand and the bartender wisely stayed back. If he intended to serve Lester another drink, he needed to be ready for a facefull of Ranger's fist. He watched as Lester worked his way into the seat and felt the rage build. What a waste. Lester was one of the best and here he was destroying his body and mind. Ranger decided at that moment that he'd had enough.

"You're coming with me," Ranger said, taking Lester's arm.

"Fuck you," Lester said, turning back to the bar. He hit the surface hard, "Barkeep!" Ranger took a deep breath.

"You can walk out of here or I can carry you out of here, your choice, but you're going. You're coming with me now and you're not coming back here." Ranger said.

"Aye-aye, Cap'n," Lester said. He picked up the bottle and shook it finding some liquid left inside and lifted it to his lips. In one swift movement, before Lester had time to protest, Ranger and taken the bottle from his hands and hit him on the side of the head knocking him out. Ranger hefted the large man over his shoulder before turning to the bartender.

"I do not want to hear that you've served this man again, do you understand? There will be dire consequences." The bartender stared at him wide eyed and Ranger didn't wait for his agreement. He knew the man would not be so foolish as to forget his words. He walked toward the door to find Stephanie holding it open for him.

"Thanks, Babe," he said, gracing her with a small smile before heading out into the sunshine. She almost seemed like she might talk but the only sound he heard was the small squeak. Ranger smiled once past her as he loaded his intoxicated friend into the vehicle, he loved that squeak.


	3. Chapter 3

"I do not like the way Manoso looked at you," Joe said casually. His arm was draped over the back of the bench seat. Stephanie, realized she'd been staring in Ranger's direction and mentally shook her head.

"Why do you say that?" she asked. She and Joe had a deep history. He'd taken her virginity and never called. She'd gotten her own back when she hit him with her car and broken his leg a few years later. A few months before she'd helped him clear his name when he'd been falsely accused of murder and now he was coming around more. Morelli was not a place she intended to go again. He'd either toy with her affections and spread it around town as he had before or be ex-husband #2 and, in Stephanie's book, ex-husband #1 was enough.

"He looks at you like I do," Joe said, more seriously than he had before. Stephanie looked back at Joe and heaved a sigh at the lustful look in his eyes.

"It's not going to happen, Joe." She said, hoping her voice was more firm that she felt. Boy, he was nice to look at. Dark hair just a little too long, chocolate brown eyes, lean, firm, body. She mentally shook herself. She wanted and deserved more than just a pretty shell. She wanted depth and affection and sex. Lots of sex with someone who appreciated her as more than just a playground at which to burn time. Anthony Pino came over to the table with her lunch.

"Can you bag it for me?" She asked. Drooling at the Chicken Parmigiana and viewing it as one more strike against Morelli that he was driving her out of Pinos so that she would have to wait the 5 minute drive home to eat the delectable treat. No one made it like Pinos, not even her mother. She closed her eyes as she drank in the odor of tomato and cheese. There was a commotion by the bar and Stephanie watched as Ranger stood next to a drunk man as he fell off of his stool. Probably a skip. The man was about Ranger's age and fit and just generally yummy. Not as yummy as Ranger. Ranger was just so dangerous and intimidating in a thrilling way. She leaned her chin on her hand. Maybe her hormones were out of whack. She glanced at old Mr. Monticelli sitting in his usual spot next to the door and figured that, as he still wasn't look good to her, she was probably okay. Morelli was talking. She turned her attention back to him.

"….your mom likes me and can you imagine the talk? It's probably already to our parents now. Why not make everyone happy and go…." Morelli said. Anthony Pino came from the back with her bag just as Ranger hefted the drunk man over his shoulder.

"I'll see you, Joe," she said, jumping up and running over to take the bag from Anthony.

"But, Cupcake!" she heard him call after her. She didn't have the desire to sit around and argue. She also had no idea why someone like Joe who could have any woman in the Burg he wanted, he wasn't only hot, he was legend, would be so focused on her. She reached the door just as Ranger did and opened it for him. He gave her the private smile that sent shivers down her spine and dampness to her panties.

"Thanks, Babe," he said. His voice low and deep. She tried to say something intelligent but came out in a squeak and a woosh of air. Stephanie inwardly cursed. Thank goodness he barely noticed her. They might still work for Vinnie but maybe their paths wouldn't cross that often. She knew it was false hope but she prayed if they did, she'd suddenly be his living fantasy. Yeah right, like that ever happened to people like her.

She waited until Ranger pulled out before getting into her car and heading home. She suddenly felt ravenous. So empty. Being Stephanie Plum simply wasn't as easy as it looked.


	4. Chapter 4

Lester was still unconscious when Ranger reached his office building on Stark Street. He pulled into the parking structure and lifted his friend out, hefting him back over his shoulder. Tank must have been watching the cameras because he met Ranger at the entry door. Tank was tall and wide. His dark face bore a scowl.

"You should have left him there," Tank said.

"I can't," Ranger responded simply. Tank held the door for him and they walked up the stairs to one of the unoccupied, furnished, apartments available for the use of Ranger's employees. Ranger owned a highly successful security business but picked up high bounty offenders to keep sharp and in shape. Ranger was not a big believer in what was known as "gym muscles." He tried to be as in on the ops as he could but he had a responsibility to his business and employees to man his desk more than he would have liked.

"No man left behind." Tank scoffed. "Dude has killed himself as far as I'm concerned. This is not the Lester Santos we served with." Ranger didn't respond but he agreed with Tank. What they didn't agree on is Ranger's solid belief that Lester could come back from the dead. If he didn't, it wouldn't be for lack of trying.

"Call Bobby," Ranger instructed referring to the company's medic. Most of Ranger employees had served with him. He did have the rare few that were special ops with other divisions but his core trusted employees were people with whom he'd fought like Tank, Lester and Bobby. Tank flipped open his cell phone and speed dialed a number.

"We need you, man," he said into the handset. "Come to the empty apartment on the 3rd floor. Florence Nightingale Manoso brought Lester back." Ranger threw Tank a sharp look. The taller man held up his hands.

"Okay," Tank said. Lester started to stir on Ranger's shoulder so Tank hit his pressure point knocking him out again. He pulled away a red hand.

"What did you hit him with?" he asked, staring at the blood.

"Beer bottle," Ranger responded. He shifted Lester as they reached the door. "It was the nearest thing to him."

"Naturally," Tank said.

"Am I going to be able to count on you to help me with this?" Ranger asked. He laid Lester on the bed.

"Once a soldier, always a soldier," Tank said. They watched as Ranger shifted Lester and the pillow slip under the unconscious man's head streaked with blood."Ceila's gonna love this." He added.

"She'll be fine. Get a wet, cold, cloth. Let's clean his head a bit. He's going to have a headache when he wakes up," Ranger instructed. Tank did as his boss said. Ranger held him up as Tank washed his head. They worked in silence for a few minutes.

"Ran into Morelli," Ranger said, breaking the silence.

"You talk to him about the case?" Tank asked.

"Not much," Ranger said and then couldn't help but add, "Stephanie Plum was with him." Tank stopped washing Lester's head and stood tall, arms crossed, regarding his friend.

"Was she?" Tank said, his tone even. Ranger could feel the surprise from him and realized that he'd never mentioned a woman before to his long time friend. Even when he was married, they didn't talk about his wife.

Bobby saved Ranger by choosing that moment to enter the room. He had a bag with him.

"What do we have here?" Bobby asked.

"A drunk guy that I knocked cold," Ranger said.

"How?"

"Bottle to the head. Kept the impact enough to knock him unconscious but not to do any damage." Ranger said. Bobby stood.

"So why am I here?" he asked. "He need stitches?"

"Maybe," Ranger responded, "You can check that out. The main reason you're here is that you're going to help me save his life. Lester is joining the newly formed Rangeman Rehabilitation Clinic. He's not leaving this apartment until he's clean and sober and understands why he needs to be." Bobby and Tank stared at their boss in shock before speaking.

"You can't do that," Tank said.

"It won't work," Bobby said.

"Never leave a man behind," Ranger responded. Both men looked thoughtful for a moment and then nodded. Never leave a man behind.


	5. Chapter 5

Stephanie pushed open the door of the bond office to be met by Lula.

"Hey, girl! We got something going?" Lula sometimes helped Stephanie with skips.

"Not yet. I just delivered my last skip and I'm still short on my rent so I thought I'd see if Connie had anything for me." Stephanie said.

"Nothing here," Lula said, sadly. "Damn shame when everyone goes straight and shows up like they're supposed to. I could make the extra money but what's a girl like you gonna do?"

"You're not…." Stephanie began but stopped when Lula snorted a laugh.

"You don't think I have ways to make money other than selling my body? Not that it isn't a damn fine body." Lula put her hands on her ample hips, brightly covered in spandex and struck a pose. Stephanie smiled.

"No, I know you've got it going on." Stephanie assured her as the phone rang.

"Bond Office," Lula said in her best business voice. She grabbed a piece of paper. "You gonna fax over the paperwork? Okay." She hung up the phone.

"Is that a skip?" Stephanie asked. Lula nodded.

"More of a big hitter kind of guy though. I can call Ranger." She said, continuing after a pause. "You know I love calling Ranger."

"I can do it," Stephanie said. Lula looked doubtful.

"This guy is violent crime." She said seriously, "You sure you want to take him on? I can help you but I'm only so badass."

"We can do it and the bounty will keep me paid up for a while. Let me take it." Stephanie pleaded.

"Connie's gonna kill me for this but okay. You need to take me and your gun and maybe your Grandma too after this guy. I know I wouldn't want to mess with your Grandma." Lula said.

"She's calling herself 'The Big G' now," Stephanie said.

"I heard she went to that rap concert. That is one happening lady," Lula said with reverence.

"Soon she'll be dressing Gangsta," Stephanie said.

"She could pull it off," Lula said. "Give me a call when you want to start on this guy." She pulled the papers from the fax machine and photocopied them, handing them to Stephanie. "Anytime you think it's too much, let me know and I'll call Ranger." The bell over the door rang.

"Did I hear my name?" the man himself asked.

"Stephanie's trying out her first high dollar skip. I said there's no shame in asking you for help," Lula said, Stephanie shot her friend a look of betrayal.

"Gotta be careful with those big hitters, Babe," he said. "Who we got?"

Stephanie hung back not speaking. Her insides melted when Ranger was in the room. Her anger was edging to the surface. How dare Lula intimate to this man that she needed his help picking up the skip. Lula was studying the papers.

"Violent crime. They're trying him for murder," she said. She read down the page. "Lester Santos."

Stephanie could have sworn that Ranger turned a little green.

"I'll take it," he said. How dare he? She needed this skip. No one was stealing from her!

"I was here first, you can get the next one." She snapped. Lula stared at her wide eyed while Ranger lifted an eyebrow. Oh darn, that was hot. He could go turn someone else on, this skip was hers!

"This guy is up on murder, Babe." Ranger said calmly enough to make her angrier.

"So? I've got this. This Lester Santos will be in police custody in no time, you just watch me." She snapped, grabbing the papers from Lula's hand and marching out the door. She was aware all the way to the car that their eyes were on her and that was fine with her. She was going to show them!


	6. Chapter 6

Ranger slowly slid into his SUV and sat motionless behind the wheel. He'd been afraid that Lester would turn up on the sheet and had been foolishly confident if he did, the trace would be given to himself. Stephanie may figure out the connection but she'd never find Lester as long as Ranger kept him holed up in his Stark Street building but any other place; he'd be an easy catch. No doubt he'd be found at the nearest bar drinking himself into oblivion, which is what had gotten him to this point.

Ranger thought back to when he'd first met Lester. A fresh faced recruit who had ganged up to survive in his neighborhood on the wrong side of the track in the shadow of Fort Dix, where Ranger and his special ops troop was stationed, but slipped away when he joined up. He left his girl at home with a promise to come back and save her too. Ranger had met the girl a couple of times. Pretty and innocent looking with long, silky, dark hair. She couldn't have been more than 18.

He remembered the day Lester had gotten the news, his girl was missing. He'd begged leave to help with the search and they'd let him go. When her body was found, gutted like a trout, on the banks of the Delaware River, Lester was the first suspect. Even in the early days following her death, before his name was cleared, Lester was a changed man. The entire elite group of Army Rangers that served with Lester was at the funeral but Lester was nowhere to be found. He was chasing leads in vain. No one knew anything and if they did, they weren't going to tell Lester. Ranger tracked him down and, knowing how futile it would be to tell him to let the police do their job, helped him go door to door.

When he returned to camp, Lester was angry. Ranger knew that if someone took someone he loved, he would be too. His fellow soldiers understood the anger and mostly left Lester alone. Ranger had come to regard Lester's solitude as a mistake. Once his investigation started tapering off, he'd turned to drink. Ranger couldn't count the number of times he'd rushed Lester out of a bar brawl to save him the discharge he so richly deserved. He didn't plan to give up on the young, wide-eyed, recruit.

With time and help from Ranger and the Fort psychologist, Lester seemed to come to terms with the death. The psychologist had said to Ranger that Lester would ever get over, he'd simply learn to live with it and he had. He finished his hitch to distinction and when they'd all decided not to re-enlist, he'd happily agreed to join on to the security business that his commanding officer planned to form.

Ranger leaned back against the seat rest and rubbed his eyes. How quickly things change. Cold case detectives in Trenton had found someone who would talk and finally there was a suspect in the case. Trace evidence left on the body had yielded a DNA profile and that profile had quickly been matched to a repeat offender.

When the case was reopened, Lester started to drink again. Ranger had tried everything to stop him and it seemed his friend was descending deeper into the comfort he found at the bottom of a bottle.

Lester sat in the crowd as his girlfriend's killer was indicted and watched as he walked from the courthouse as free man. By all accounts, Lester had been too drunk that night to do anything but when the not yet convicted killer was found dead, the police honed in on the man they knew to have a cause – Lester.

Ranger didn't know if Lester had or hadn't, in a drunken rage, killed the man. He knew the alleged killer and couldn't understand how a drunken man could overpower him but emotion is a mysterious thing. What Ranger did know if that he wouldn't blame Lester for taking the law into his own hands if he had. Ranger considered how he'd feel if it was one of his family members on the bank of that river but quickly shook that thought away as Stephanie appeared before him with her wide eyes and dark, curly, hair. Ranger steeled himself and switched the SUV on. The only thing to do was to investigate this himself. He'd find out if Lester had killed the man or if he hadn't and only then would he turn Lester over to anyone, proof for or against in hand.

The first thing he needed to do was to have a talk with Stephanie Plum and to ignore the guilty thrill that rushed through his body whenever she was around.


	7. Chapter 7

Stephanie pushed open the Tasty Pastry door, papers under her arm. She stopped at the counter and started to ask for a Boston Crème donut but changed her mind and made it two. She also ordered a cup of the hot chocolate they were famous for but she knew, from her days behind the counter, was a mix. She trudged over to a table and sat down with her sugary snack, not yet glanced at the skip order. How did she get herself into these situations? Not so long ago she'd had to beg and bribe Vinnie for a job and now she had two options, catch this psycho, who was probably worse than Benito Ramierz, or look into another line of work. Her mother had just that morning handed her the classified section with a help wanted ad for the personal product factory. Maybe she should go back and fish it out of their outside trash. Stephanie mentally shook herself and started sifting through the papers.

The skip was actually kind of good looking. Stephanie remembered seeing him somewhere before but just wasn't able to pinpoint where. The picture was just of his head and shoulders but his shoulders indicated good muscle mass. His eyes were bloodshot in the photo and his hair was in a standard military fade. She read the summary. Lester Santos was suspected of killing Jorge Perez. The victim was a Peruvian national but there wasn't any other information about him except that he'd been cut open and left on the banks of the Delaware River. Stephanie shivered at the violence of the death. She took note of his home address and his parents address knowing that those would probably be the best place to start. She felt a tingling awareness running up her spine and looked up to see Ranger standing across from her. He smiled and she hoped that the thrill of pleasure at that private expression wouldn't be noticeable to him.

"May I?" he asked, gesturing to the chair across from her. Stephanie nodded surprised that someone dressed as he was would be so polite. He sat down and Stephanie's memory of the skip clicked.

"So, why did you haul my skip out of Pinos?" she asked. Ranger paused and though he showed no signs of surprise, she knew that he probably was.

"He was drunk and causing a disturbance," Ranger said.

"So why put him in your car?" she asked, eyes narrowing.

"I'm not going to let him drive home," Ranger said. Stephanie crossed her arms.

"How did you know where he lives?" she asked.

"You're sharp. I've known him for a while," Ranger said, laughing.

"How?" Stephanie asked, leaning back in her seat.

"We were both at Fort Dix," Ranger said. Stephanie didn't know much about Ranger, except that he'd been a Ranger in the Army, so shrugged, accepting his response.

"How dangerous is he?" she said, awaiting the answer she feared the most.

"If he's drunk, you may have a little problem." Ranger said.

"If he's sober?" she asked.

"Then you've got the wrong guy," Ranger said, his voice devoid of humor.

"Good to know," she answered, with a deep sigh. This didn't sound promising. Ranger sat silently for a moment.

"This is your first big ticket?" he asked. She nodded and propped her chin on her hand.

"I can help you with this," he offered. Stephanie was tempted and did a quick mental calculation of the funds she'd need and realized that she couldn't take on a partner.

"Thanks, but I can do this on my own," she said.

"I'll make you a deal," Ranger said, tapping the table, "You help me with something and I'll help you with this, on the house."

"What is it?" Stephanie asked, sitting up.

"I have a…case…I'm working on and sometimes the way I look," he waved a hand at himself, "doesn't help instill confidence." She shrugged in acceptance. She could see that. "You'd be the friendly face, does that work?" Stephanie thought about it for a moment. She could use some experience and as much as Ranger had going for him, he also had experience in droves.

"Okay," she said. "Where do we start?"

"Have you read through the papers?" he asked, waving toward the table.

"Mostly," she said, looking down.

"Then perhaps you noticed the Homicide Detective in charge of the case?" he asked. Stephanie hadn't gotten that far so she looked toward the bottom of the last sheet and her stomach fell. Ranger smiled slightly.

"Joe Morelli," he said. "We start with him." Stephanie looked up in surprise. This was Ranger's case?


	8. Chapter 8

They'd decided to take Ranger's car and they'd been sitting in front of the police station for 10 minutes. Ranger could feel tense waves rolling off of Stephanie.

"Everything okay, Babe?" he asked. She glanced sideways at him and then looked ahead again at the brick structure.

"You know, there are things my family expects," she said. He nodded. Ranger was Cuban, he knew family expectations.

"Not in your plans?" he asked, knowing they were talking about Morelli.

"Maybe once?" he asked, unable to stop himself.

"Maybe but not now," she said. She put a hand on the door handle. "Let's do this." Ranger nodded and opened his own door but waited while she hesitated. He reached out and took a hand, ignoring the awareness that raced through him. Her skin was so soft.

"I'll protect you," he said, dryly. She glanced at him again and burst into laughter.

"You're right, what's he gonna do that everyone doesn't already know he did?" Stephanie said. Ranger lifted an eyebrow. He didn't know and was pretty sure he didn't want to know. They walked into the station. Carol Corelli, biggest mouth in the East was at the desk. As Ranger walked toward her, her jaw gaped and the gum fell in a large wad to the desk. He smiled. Carol made a small choking noise and then smiled broadly fully showing the missing molar that Stephanie remembered Carol losing when Terri Gilman had punched her in the face when she came upon the older girl flirting with Joe in high school. Suddenly, and irrationally, Stephanie understood Terri's extreme emotion.

"We just don't see enough of you here, Ranger!" Carol said, batting her eyelashes, "I'm off in an hour. How about if we…." Stephanie cut her off.

"We need to see Joe Morelli," she said, clearly annoyed.

"Really?" Carol said, seeming only then to notice her. "Why don't I just see if he's here?" She lifted the phone not taking her eyes off of Ranger. He turned to Stephanie and shrugged. She frowned at him which inexplicable made him just a little bit happier. They turned back to Carol.

"Why don't you?" Stephanie grumbled. Carol talked for a moment before turning back to Ranger.

"He'll be right up," she said. Carol tracked them with her eyes as they moved to the side of the desk. Stephanie was solely tempted to offer an obscene gesture but held herself back.

Joe came from the back and pushed his way through the half door extended from the desk. His chocolate brown eyes expressed surprise as he took in Stephanie and Ranger together.

"Cupcake!" he said, "This is a surprise?" Joe looked from Stephanie to Ranger again.

"We need to talk to you about one of my skips," Stephanie said.

"We? Really?" Morelli said.

"Ranger and I," Stephanie snapped. "Do you have time?"

"What case," he asked extending a hand to indicate that they should come through the door and follow him to the back.

"Lester Santos?" she said.

"Lester, of course," Joe said, sighing sadly. "Right." He led them into one of the interrogation rooms and they sat down.

"Sorry," he said, "This is what passes for a conference room here. What did you need to know?" She turned to Ranger, silently offering him the floor.

"What evidence led you to Lester Santos?" Ranger asked.

"What business is it of yours?" Joe responded. Ranger weighed how much to say.

"Lester is a friend of mine. I'm trying to find the truth," he said. Joe nodded knowingly.

"You know I'm not supposed to talk about this with Civs?" he said. "Civilians," he explained for Stephanie. She nodded.

"Let's call this a friendly exchange and I owe you a favor," Ranger had been helpful to the department in the past and Joe knew that a case would come where a little military trained assistance would be handy.

"The obvious evidence is that the vic was accused of killing the perps girlfriend and he looked really good for it. Not too many people doubted that old Jorge had killed that girl. He was one bad dude. Rap sheet a mile long and all violent crimes." Joe explained. "I've got all the sympathy in the world for Lester if he knocked this guy off but justice is blind." Ranger shrugged accepting what seemed to be Joe's honest sympathy.

"You've got to have more than that to indict," Ranger said.

"We had a witness who saw them together before Jorge was found dead. Said that Jorge was taunting Lester about his dead girl," Joe explained. "Lester was kicked out when they got into a fight and Jorge has Lester's blood on him."

"That doesn't look good," Ranger said, "But how violent was the bar fight? Couldn't the blood transfer have happened then?" Joe accepted the point with a nod.

"But who else was fighting with Jorge that night?" he asked.

"You said he was a bad dude, he had other enemies?" Ranger said.

"Enemies a mile long but none he was seen fighting with that night," Joe agreed.

"Can you give me the witness' name?" Ranger asked.

"You know I can't do that," Joe said with a smile. "But just between you, me and that wall, I hear if you go to the Jazz bar over by Fort Dix, you might get some people who know something." Joe stood. "That's about all I can do for you." He said.

"Understood and appreciated," Ranger said, standing and extending his own hand. Joe turned to Stephanie.

"You have time for some lunch, Cupcake?" he asked. "We can get one of those cannolis over at the Tasty Pastry?" he waggled his eyebrows.

"Uggggg," Stephanie said as she turned and walked out of the room. Ranger shrugged at Joe and followed her. If he'd had any doubt as to the status of their relationship, all questions had just been answered. He suppressed the building smile that was begging to surface.


	9. Chapter 9

Ranger slid up to the curb next to Stephanie's apartment building. She'd been waiting in the lobby and stepped out when he pulled up. His breath caught a little. Not due to her outfit, her black dress was modest though the leopard heels did special things for her, but that something that was essential Stephanie. He got out and walked around the SUV, opening the door for her and helping her up into the seat. Stephanie looked as though she didn't know what to say and he agreed, this felt too much like a date. He walked around the car and got into the driver's seat.

"You ready for this?" he asked, putting the vehicle into gear. He'd been to Alleycatz Jazz Bar many times and it could be very kindly described as a dive. He hesitated to take Stephanie there but this was her case really so felt he kind of owed it to her.

"Let's do it," she said, unable to keep the quiver out of her voice. He glanced over at her from time to time as they drove in silence watching her body tense to a degree that he hadn't thought possible. Ranger reached over and clasped her hand. She jumped sharply and looked at him in alarm before relaxing.

"Sorry," she said. "This is a little out of my comfort zone."

"I'm hear, Babe," he said. She nodded and bit her lip. They arrived at the bar and Ranger found street parking. A person wrapped in a heavy coat sat in the doorway. Ranger walked over pulling a $50 out of his pocket.

"Watch my car and there's another $50 in it when I come back," he said. He walked over to Stephanie's door and helped her out of the car.

"I'm sure he would have watched your car for less," she said.

"He may not watch my car at all, but $100 may get him a room somewhere for a week and some food in his stomach." He took her arm. "Let's go in. We're going to be calm and casual, any couple at a bar." Stephanie nodded. They strolled across the street and Stephanie felt a sharp pain of dread. Ranger walked up to the security guard, a tall, broad, black, man with a buzz cut.

"Still Moonlighting? You ever gonna get a real job?" he asked, slapping the man on the back. He turned sharply looking as though he might throw Ranger but seemed to instantly recognize him.

"Manoso! Been a long time. What you doing back on the bad side of town? I heard you made it good. Moved up a couple blocks?" he said.

"I've got a place on Stark Street. This is my girlfriend, Steph. Thought I'd bring her to hear some real music." Stephanie nodded to the large man.

"We may not be much to look at but the jazz here is tight," Murray said to Stephanie.

"That's what I told her," Ranger said. Stephanie looked around at the other patrons and moved a little closer to Ranger before realizing that this was going to be her world. If she wanted these high priced skips, she would have to pay her dues in places like this. She looked down at her own dress and then the Lula like outfits of those around her feeling like someone's grandmother. Next time she stepped out, she'd step it up. She straightened her spine as Ranger guided her away from the security guard. They approached the bar and a the bartender, a pretty blonde, greeted Ranger like she was on a desert island and he was the last bottle of water. Stephanie felt her temperature rise a little. They weren't together really but she didn't know that.

"Mel!" Ranger said, dodging her hug. "Nice to see you. How you been?"

"Not so good since you haven't been around. It's been too long," she said.

"Can you get us a couple of Coronas?" he asked. The woman glanced toward Stephanie, raised her eyebrows and walked off.

"President of your fan club?" Stephanie asked.

"Something like that," he said. Stephanie watched the woman flirt with another customer.

"Looks like she's the President of a lot of fan clubs." She observed.

"Gotta do something to get tips in this place. I see someone who might be able to help us. See the guy by the stage?" Stephanie turned and saw a slight, well dressed, Hispanic man seated at a table.

"Any criminal activity happens in this area runs through him," Ranger explained. Stephanie's eyes went wide.

"Is it safe?" she asked.

"Never, but I think we'll be okay." He took the beers from Mel and handed her one. She nervously took too big a swallow and choked a bit. Mel rolled her eyes and walked off to flirt with someone else.

"Are you ready for this?" he asked.

"No, but let's do it anyway." Stephanie said.


	10. Chapter 10

**Note: Because of the trouble on this site over the past few weeks, I stopped posting my stories. On the advice of someone who has been in this world and around this site for a while, I have decided to complete these stories. I also apologize for the terrible Spanish in this chapter. Thank you for understanding. Val**

Ranger took Stephanie's hand and casually steered her around the tables and customers in varying degrees of intoxication. He said hello to people here and there but his ultimate goal was the man near the stage.

"¿Cómo está usted?" Ranger said, when he reached the man. He looked up and smiled before jumping up to slap Ranger on the back.

"Tan bueno. Esto ha sido Mucho tiempo. ¿Cómo ha sido usted?" he said.

"So long," Ranger agreed. "I want you to meet my new girlfriend, Stephanie. Stephanie this is Estaban Mercado. When you know, Estaban, you know everyone." Stephanie gave a half wave and the man hugged her enthusiastically.

"It's true," Estaban said. He was slight with short dark hair and didn't look like he'd be a threat to anyone. "Any girlfriend of Manoso's," he said, waggling his eyebrows. His English was lightly accented. "Sit, please!" he waved to the chairs across the table and Ranger held Stephanie's chair, pushing it in gently when she was seated.

"A muchacha with class," Estaban said approvingly. "This one is a keeper, no?"

"She is," Ranger agreed, putting his arm around the back of Stephanie's chair and pulling her closer.

"It's been a while, Manoso, what brings you back to this side of the tracks?" Estaban's tone was light but something in his expression shifted and Stephanie felt herself getting nervous. She unconsciously scooted closed to Ranger. He gave her a reassuring squeeze.

"Lester Santos and Jorge Perez had a fight here, I need to find the witness." Ranger said.

"Look around, my friend; we are a room full of witnesses." Estaban waved his hand in illustration. "Everyone heard what Jorge said and everyone saw Lester, drunk as he was, knock him to the ground. "

"I know that Lester was thrown out so I'm guessing everyone saw him leave," Estaban nodded. "Did anyone see Jorge leave?"

"Jorge was in a foul temper. He is known to do terrible things when his temper is high. He asked me for one of my girls but they're too valuable for Jorge in that mood. He left soon after." Estaban shook his head, sadly. "I cannot afford the damage he does, and to my best workers."

"Do you know who killed Jorge?" Ranger asked suddenly. Estaban smiled.

"I do not," he said. "If I had been Lester, I would have killed him when he stood but Lester, he was so drunk."

"So you don't think Lester did?" Stephanie said, speaking for the first time.

"I cannot know. I do know that Jorge had many enemies. You should see what he's done to my girls. I would not take money from him but I know that are many procurers who will provide for him." Stephanie watched Estaban's expression in horror as he continued. "He killed my Cherie. She made a lot of money for me. We came to an arrangement but I know others who are not as kind." Whatever else this man was, he was a pimp and women were merchandise that he sold in his store.

"Do you know who talked to the police?" Ranger asked.

"Whoever it was would not dare tell me. That detective, Morelli, he was here talking to everyone but we will not talk to the police." Estaban said, "The nature of the call served Jorge's family well so I would look to his half brother, Julio. He was here that night." He paused before looking very seriously at Ranger.

"I have owed you, Manoso, and now we're even. If you come back to me be prepared to pay. I can think of a currency, I'd take." He reached over to stroke Stephanie's cheek and smiled when she gasped audibly. Ranger grabbed his wrist.

"Never," he said coldly, "never touch her. She's not one of your women. She is mine and she's under my protection and if you ever see her again, don't speak." Ranger said. Another shadow passed over Estaban's face but he nodded.

"As you wish," he said.


	11. Chapter 11

Stephanie shivered and huddled against Ranger as they left the bar. He tried not to enjoy the way she leaned on him too much.

"You okay?" he asked, rubbing her arm.

"I'm fine. Are we going to see Jorge's brother?" she asked.

"Not we. I'll go see him. I don't want you to come in contact with him at all. As bad as Estaban is, he's a kitten compared to Julio. Julio and Jorge are from the same tree, figuratively and literally. " Ranger said.

"How do you know these people?" she asked as Ranger opened the vehicle door for her.

"Occupational hazard," he said simply. She watched as he gave the guy in the doorway the rest of the money promised. She'd always been so nervous around him but Stephanie noted now that he seemed like a truly nice guy. To have these kind of connections, that scared her. She couldn't imagine what sort of daily life Ranger had to lead to come in contact with pimps and killers. A shiver of excited dread rolled through in her body and she felt a moment of horror at how turned on it made her feel. But then, Ranger was so good looking. She'd felt his toned arms and chest when they were seated so closely and that sent a new kind of shiver through her. He slid into the driver's seat.

"What should I do?" Stephanie asked as Ranger pulled away from the curb. He inwardly groaned because that was a loaded question.

"I'll let you know as soon as I've spoken with Julio," he said instead of the answer he'd wanted to give. Stephanie nodded and stared into the darkness. Ranger glanced at her and then weighed his words before he spoke.

"This life, if this is what you want, these are the people you meet. It's always going to pay off to go in prepared. Gun. Maybe some training. I could help you." He said. She nodded.

"It's just been a little bit… different." She said, after a moment. "I may take you up on that help. As you know, I can't shoot and…." Her voice trailed off.

"You've had a bit of a shock? One of those times when maybe it would have been helpful to your confidence to know?" Ranger asked. Stephanie nodded, not taking offense. "It would be. Estaban lives in a different world than we do." Ranger said.

"Clearly," she said. She sat up straighter in the seat. "I'll be prepared next time. I'd like to speak with Julio." Ranger pulled over to the side of the road and turned in his seat to look at Stephanie.

"I don't want you to feel like I don't need you on this, Stephanie, because I do so I want you to know that this is going to be ugly. I'm willing to compromise but I need him to not see you. Agreed?" Ranger asked. Stephanie nodded wondering how Ranger would pull off her being there while not being there. He hit the Bluetooth in the SUV and a phone rang through the radio.

"Yo," a deep voice answered.

"Tank, its Ranger. I'm going to need some closed circuit cameras."

"Size?"

"You're going to wear it. We have an op. I need a witness on the outside." He glanced over at Stephanie. "How's Lester?" he asked. He smiled inwardly as she jumped forward in her seat and turned sharply to look at him, a horrified and angry look on her face.

"Bad shape but coherent." Tank said.

"Get him cleaned up, I'm bringing someone to talk to him." Ranger said. There was a long pause at the other end of the line.

"Cop?" Tank asked.

"Worse," Ranger promised.


	12. Chapter 12

Stephanie glared at Ranger from the passenger seat.

"You've known where Lester Santos was ALL THIS TIME?" she asked, her voice rising with each word.

"I did," he admitted.

"And you never thought to say anything?" she asked, incredulous. He glanced at her again. Dios Mio, he shouldn't be thinking this way but Stephanie bathed in anger made him want to pull off of the road for an entirely different reason than discussion. He mentally counted down before answering, attempting to get his libido in check.

"You'll understand when you meet him, Babe," he said. He turned into the parking garage and walked around the vehicle to help her out. She slapped his hand away. As they reached the doorway it opened and the largest man that Stephanie had ever seen walked through. Her eyes were level with his black clad chest and as she lifted her head, she thought she'd never reach his face. When she finally did, she found him smiling down at her. Stephanie guessed him to be slightly over 7 feet. His skin was the color of rich milk chocolate and Stephanie felt her stomach grumble. It had been a while since dinner. It had to be 3am, her usual snack time.

"I'm Tank," he said, extending an extra large sized hand.

"Yes, you are," she gasped and then clapped a hand over her mouth. Tank laughed appreciatively. Something like a growl escaped from Ranger and Tank held up his hands.

"Just being friendly, boss," he said, cheerfully.

"Is Lester ready?" Ranger asked, sounding none too happy.

"Depends on what you consider ready." Tank said. "He has the shakes and was vomiting. Bobby gave him something and he seems to have calmed but he's been trying to fight me."

"Death wish?" Ranger quipped, partly serious.

"Seems like," Tank said. Stephanie watched the exchange. Ranger had told her that Lester had a drinking problem but from the way Ranger and Tank were talking, he was nearer deaths door.

"Let's go talk to him, Babe," Ranger said and then added as an aside to Tank, "Be prepared." Stephanie heard the yelling before they entered the apartment.

"I'm a prisoner HERE!" a deep voice yelled. "Ranger has no right to keep me here. Don't you see how bad I need a drink? I thought your oath was all about preserving life. You're killing me!"

"You need this, Les," another voice said, the tone soothing. "Just take the medicine. It'll help you. I promise."

"Fuck you, Bobby!" the first voice yelled, a crash sounding from the other room. Ranger picked up the pace and gestured that Stephanie should stay with Tank.

"The fucking price, himself," the first voice growled. "You're going to jail, Ranger. You can't keep me here like this, it's illegal and it's wrong and Bobby is slowly poisoning me. You may be tough but you're gonna be popular in prison." There was a sound of skin hitting bone and someone hitting the floor.

"Are you done?" Ranger said, calmly. He motioned for Tank and Stephanie to come forward. Stephanie saw a Hispanic man that she instantly recognized sitting on the floor wiping blood from his chin. She'd never met him but had seen him many times in Pinos sitting at the bar. She hadn't connected this man with the strong and vital looking person in the file picture.

"Fuck you," Lester said. He spotted Stephanie and spit blood in Bobby's directions, "Bringing dates to the zoo now, Ranger?" he asked.

"This is Stephanie Plum, she's a bounty hunter who has the task of taking you in to the police." Ranger explained. "I'm trying to convince her to let me help you. You know what they'll do to you once you go in. You'll be railroaded straight through that system. Couple of years you'll be a Dateline story about the promising military recruit gone bad after his girl is killed. Is that what she would have wanted, Les?"

"Don't you say her name," he snapped.

"I didn't. Is this how she would have wanted to see you? And in front of a lady? She was a good girl, Les, she wouldn't have wanted you to be like this." Ranger said softly, Lester started crying. Stephanie slipped past Tank and Ranger and wrapped her arms around Lester. He smelled so bad but the anguish in his heaving sobs kept her locked to his side. Ranger watched in frozen fear. The Lester he knew wouldn't do anything to Stephanie but this Lester, he couldn't be sure. He sagged in relief when the man wrapped his arms around Stephanie and buried his face in her dark curls. She stroked his back. When his sobbing calmed, Lester pulled away and seemed to wince in pain at the blood he'd left on Stephanie's shirt and shoulder. She ignored it and took his hands.

"Will you tell me what happened?" she asked softly? He nodded.

"I-I-I don't remember all of it," he said.

"Just tell me what you remember," she prompted.

"I will," he said, nodding before throwing up on her lap.


	13. Chapter 13

Ranger had led Stephanie to his apartment and turned the shower on for her. She'd been standing under the spray and scrubbing her skin for an hour and the water had turned cold but the acrid odor of Lester's vomit would not go away. Stephanie knew that likely, by this point, it was all in her head. She heard the bathroom door open and saw a large shadow behind the white curtain.

"You okay, Babe?" Ranger asked, softly.

"I'm okay. In my line of work, this happens all the time," she quipped. She saw Ranger shift and sit on the toilet seat.

"Nothing worse than the smell of an alcoholics vomit," Ranger said. Stephanie was silent. "We have Lester stabilized whenever you're ready to talk to him. I brought some sweats in for you to wear. They might be a bit large but you can roll the waistband…"

"Thanks," Stephanie responded.

"Do you want to talk before we go in? I don't want you to think…." Ranger said.

"I don't," Stephanie said, cutting him off. "I know what you were doing." She saw Ranger's shoulders sag.

"I hoped you would," he said. Ranger sat and Stephanie stood silently for a moment.

"I'll be out in a minute," she said.

"Okay," Ranger got up and moved toward the door. She heard him say something else and started to ask what it was when she realized he was gone.

Stephanie dried herself and padded over to the sink. She gasped when she saw herself and frantically searched the drawers before finding a comb. She shrugged knowing that she would likely break all of the tines but anything in a pinch. She found a bottle of Green Tea Bulgari as well and sprayed a little on. It smelled so much like Ranger that she lifted the bottle to her nose and inhaled deeply feeling herself getting a little turned on. No time for that, she decided and she replaced the bottle in the drawer. She looked at the sweats. Obviously Ranger's. The black sweatpants were long and she rolled them at the waist and the black tee-shirt that would be skin tight on him, she was sure, feel to her thighs. The effect was comfortable and Stephanie realized how tired she was. She started to pull the comb through her hair when a knock sounded at the door.

"Yes?" she asked, tentatively.

"Brought you a mocha, Babe," Ranger called. She opened the door and Ranger paused for a moment, looking her up and down, before setting the steaming ivory cup on the counter. "I figured you for a sweet tooth and thought you might need a boost," he said in explanation. Stephanie smiled.

"It's perfect, thank you," she said. "I just need to see if I can control the fright factor." She waved at her hair.

"You look great," Ranger said. Stephanie laughed. "Let me know when you're ready to talk to Lester."

"Give me a few minutes," she said. He nodded and closed the door. A few minutes later, she stepped into Ranger's living room, cup in hand and feeling refreshed to find everyone gathered. Stephanie walked over and perched on the black leather sofa next to Ranger.

"Refill?" he asked, waving toward her cup.

"I'm fine," she said. Putting the cup down. Lester looked drawn and miserable.

"I-I-I," he began, waving at Stephanie helplessly. She waved a hand and laughed.

"It's fine. Happens all the time," she said. "Are you ready to tell me what happened?"

"Starting when?" he asked.

"Whenever you like," Stephanie said.

Lester took a deep breath and looked like he might blow again. Stephanie leaned back into the sofa to find Ranger's arm around her shoulders and then Lester began.


End file.
